A Smile, Just A Simple Smile
by Cirquet
Summary: Two old ninjas show up thanks to Tsunade, but they bring a new student with them. Too bad, it seems they brought nothing but bad luck with them.
1. Two guys and a girl

My second fic, and it's a Naruto one! I've been wanting to write this for a while now.

A little action a little adventure a bit of romance (but I assure, though the first chapter would prove otherwise, that there will not be a lot of fluff. This if serious stuff here.)

In case you're wondering Cerise is French for Cherry (you'll understand in just a few). I just love to involve French and Italian in my stories, though this one won't have very much, oh well! Enjoy! (It's a lot less graphic-as in violence-then my original story, which is probably a good thing).

I don't own Naruto (if I did Kakashi would be all mine, so it's a good thing for all you fangirls that I don't : p)

* * *

Konoha was at its usual peace in the early morning air. A few ninjas stood on guard, but you would have to be an idiot to attack a village full of ninjas. A slight laughter rung throughout the village, it was a musical laughter bringing about smile to those who heard it.

"Cerise you ready for this?" a man asked turning his head back towards a young girl walking behind him. His brown buzz-cut hair gave him a sharp look, that was until you met his eyes. Brown eyes melted his hardness; they held such warmth and comfort that anyone felt comfortable around him.

"Of course Mitzuki, but I still feel your worrying too much about me. Really, I mean you and Ikechi have done so much for me," she answered, her voice pure and crisp like the morning air. Cerise's appearance was much different from that of any ninja ever seen. Her hair held a strange color, changing from a platinum blond in the light to a light violet in the shade. Her eyes were an innocent violet, but on her left lay a large scar right across her eye that split her pupil. It was a curse that had been placed on her at birth by her own father.

"Mitzuki stop upsetting her, you know that when we worry about her it upsets her," a tall man on her left stated. Ikechi had sharp blue eyes and a pretty set face. Cerise use to say that he looked like a famous singer, something he really didn't like.

These two have been with Cerise for over three years now. They had met when the two were assigned to a mission just west of the country of wind. They found Cerise, and seeing her exceptional talent, began to train her in the arts of their hometown Konoha. They were resigned to stay in Cerise's hometown, Rice Villa, but were brought back home by a letter from a letter from the Hokage. Three years gone, and they were behind on the times. But that was soon to change.

"Well would you look at this, two lost pigeons returning home."

Mitzuki and Ikechi looked up and saw Kakashi. It was Kakashi's team that served as rivals to Mitzuki and Ikechi. Ikechi hated Kakashi with a passion but Mitzuki was indifferent. Cerise poked her head in between the two men. Her eyes caught hold of Kakashi, his ruffled blond hair and limp standing caught her attention. She smiled then moved back behind the two.

"Are we going to see the Hokage?" she asked sweetly.

"Patience, patience, Cerise we'll be there soon enough," Mitzuki stated tapping his finger against her nose in mock punishment, "Isn't she just adorable Kakashi?" he asked grabbing Cerise in a tight bear hug.

Kakashi simply starred.

"Anyways, if you got nothing to say to us I suggest you leave us so we can go see the Hokage," Ikechi stated coolly.

"About that, Sarutobi has died."

"What?" the two shouted in disbelief. Cerise looked at the two in surprise; it was very rare that they yelled. 'This Sarutobi must be important to them,' she thought.

"Yeah he was killed by Orochimaru a while back," Kakashi said in disbelief.

The two couldn't believe this, Sarutobi was one of the greatest ninjas they knew of, and for him to be killed by that weasel Orochimaru was unheard of.

"So who replaced him?" Cerise asked finally figuring out that Sarutobi must be the Hokage.

Kakashi looked up the girl, there was something odd about, something he couldn't quite put his finger on, but it was there.

"Well Kakashi, quit starring and tell us. It wasn't that perverted Jiraiya was it?" Ikechi snorted.

"No, if it was him he would have had enough sense not to let the two of you return."

"Dammit Kakashi, just shut the he…, whatever. Just tell me who the new Hokage is so we can go."

Cerise looked at her teacher and smiled; he had always had a terrible temper, and tried his hardest to show it in front of her. He looked over towards her, noticing the smile she had and couldn't help but smile as well. Even Kakashi couldn't put him in a bad enough mood that Cerise couldn't fix.

"Tsunade is the new Hokage."

Mitzuki's and Ikechi's jaws dropped. They couldn't believe it. Tsunade had become Hokage. They were so excited because she was the only one who really understood them. She had become their teacher after they had lost their original teacher, Annasuke and his daughter Anna.

"We have to congratulate her!" Cerise piped up.

"Yeah we do, Mitzuki shall we?" Ikechi said with a smile.

"We shall depart my good friends," coping the manner of speech that was used in Cerise's village.

They left Kakashi wondering after his own team.


	2. Naruto

Ch. 2! Yay, I'm so happy. This story seems to be going so slow (but compared to my first one it's going a lot faster, at least I think?)

I don't own Naruto. If I did Naruto would be my cuddle bunny (…or fox whatever).

* * *

Cerise starred out the window just outside the door of where the Hokage was at. She sat there waiting for what seemed like forever as her teacher's talked to their master. She sighed looking at the city streets below. It was hard to believe that a village of this size was so well hidden.

"Well it is the hidden village of leaf, so I guess it makes sense," she thought outloud.

She saw the young children running around and soon began to wonder if these children were destined to be ninjas as well. She was never supposed to be; in fact her original home was very far removed from any sort of jutsu. She grew up farther west than Rice Villa. It was a "modern" city, or so it was called, no longer ruled by the "old ways" of life. She still remembered how terrible life was there. But her mother escaped with her, traveling from village to village. Cerise often found herself in many ninja villages, picking up bits and pieces of different jutsu from around the world. By the time her and her mother reached Rice Villa she was eleven and well versed in the arts of the ninja, while her mother's health deteriorated. It was there that she took her last breath, promising to her that everything she had was hers and that she wished she could have been a better mother. Tears rolled down Cerise's face at the sight of her dying mother. She had left her family, a place of power and nobility all to save her little daughter.

She soon pried her thoughts away from her family. She just didn't want to think about it. Instead she continued to watch the going-ons of the street, humming one of her favorite tunes. Her foot tapped to the beat of the song drowning out all the noise around her.

"Hey there."

Cerise jumped at the sound of this new voice, she couldn't believe she didn't sense anyone there. She turned around, her hair twirling along with her. She met up with a young boy of about sixteen or so, not much younger than herself; he had striking blond hair, and energetic blue eyes. 'Is he a ninja? He doesn't really look like one,' she thought looking at his bright orange clothes.

"Hi!" she answered, "You are?"

"Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto, who are you?" he asked. Naruto had been walking along on his way to see Tsunade when he stumbled upon the young girl. It was her hair that attracted him; its weird nature hypnotized him, one minute it was lighter than Kakashi's hair, the next it was a deep violet growing lighter and lighter as it moved out of the shadows.

"I'm Cerise, no last name though, just Cerise," she smiled.

"What happened?" he asked pointing to his own eye.

"Huh, oh, what's wrong?" she asked pulling out a shuriken to examine her eye. She figured he was looking at her scar, but decided she would have a little fun.

"Oh my eye, what happened to my eye!" she screamed in mock terror.

"Uh….you didn't…uh…," Naruto began to freak out. Cerise was tearing up and turned away from him. "It's okay really, maybe…"

Cerise couldn't take it; she started to bust up in laughter. Naruto looked dumbfounded; he had just been had by this girl. He smiled and started to laugh as well. Finally Cerise calmed down enough to apologize for spooking him.

"Don't worry about it. Gees I really needed that. But seriously what's up with that scare, did someone try to take out your eye?" Naruto asked breathing heavily from his little fit of giggles.

"It's a curse," she stated matter-of-factly.

Naruto starred at her, trying to figure out if she was just pulling his leg again. She saw his disbelief and took out her Maledire Specchio, a clear piece of glass with a red tint and strange fluid in the middle. She saw Naruto stare at her strangly as she placed it up to her eye.

"It's a curse finder. It illuminates hidden curses and can capture weaker ones in the liquid," she explained while placing the Maledire against her eye. Instantly a black liquid spread across her eye. Naruto recognized it as the ink that is often used on trap scrolls, except it smelled rather funny, like dried blood. The ink spread across Cerise's face in a very elaborate design. She had her eyes closed as the ink spread from one eye to the other, apparently the curse wasn't limited to just her left eye. She slowly opened her eyes which had changed colors, the left a light gray, the right a darker gray.

"A curse?" Naruto asked.

"Yep, left by someone I thought I could trust," she sighed as she removed the Maledire, the curse instantly disappeared back into the left eye.

"Wow…that was cool…" Naruto gwak.

"Hey Naruto, Jiraiya wants to see you know!" Iruka yelled, he had been calling Naruto for the past fifteen minutes when he found him with Cerise.

"I think I got you in trouble," she giggled.

"And what about you girl, shouldn't you be with your teacher right now?" he asked Cerise.

"I thank I got you in trouble," he laughed.

The two burst into a fit of giggles, while Iruka simply sighed.

"Naruto, go!"

"Yeah, yeah old man, I'm on my way to see the perverted hermit."

"Naruto show some respect to your elders," he groaned.

Naruto simply walked on waving good bye to Cerise.

"Bye Naruto it was nice to meet you!" she yelled back. She liked this Naruto, he wasn't serious and seemed to enjoy a good laugh.

"Now what about you are you going to back to class or do I have to escort you back?" Iruka asked. Cerise smiled, it had been forever since someone threatened her with class. Iruka didn't realize she wasn't a student, with no Hitai-ate he figured she was just a student who had snuck out of class.

"That's not very nice to accuse people without just cause Iruka," Mitzuki joked as he came out from the Hokage's room (I want to call it an office…).

Iruka turned around sharply to see who was talking to him and was speechless. There was Mitzuki and Ikechi, two ninjas who had renounced their loyalty to Konoha, who swore to never step foot in the villager ever again, yet they were here with their Hitai-ates and the village leaf engraved into it. He starred in disbelief at Tsunade, true they had been her students, but even she had to know about the disgrace they caused.

"Mitzuki don't start accusing him now, he just thought I was a student here," she said in mock scorn.

"Sorry, sorry. I should have known better, what she's only seventeen years old and so far behind that she's still in training for beginners. It's so easy to mistake," Mitzuki remarked sarcastically. "I mean how long did you stay in junior training Cerise?"

"You know I was too old to start junior training, and that Buio-Sama took me in from the first day."

"Kuroku, as in Bloody Buio?" Iruka asked in disbelief.

"Yes it would seem that this young girl was his first and only student. She may very well be the last person to know Kuroku's clan techniques. This is why they are here, Iruka. I would not abuse my power as Hokage, to return my favorite students back home," Tsunade said grabbing Ikechi in a tight hug.

"All because of me? But I thought that..." Ikechi quickly cupped his hand around Cerise's mouth to quite her.

"It's nothing really, she's here to further her techniques, nothing else," he said letting go of Cerise after she started to turn blue. cough cough

"Why did you do that for!" she yelled out.

"No reason, but you need to be careful about what you say, like I told you we aren't well trusted here," he whispered in her ear.

"Now then what is this?" Tsunade asked rubbing her finger along Cerise's scar.

"That's the curse her eye holds, Cerise; can you show her the curse?" Mitzuki asked.

Again Cerise pulled out the Maledire Specchio and placed it against her eye revealing the curse. Tsunade examined it with Iruka looking over her shoulder.

"Perhaps Rin should look at it. I don't know what can be done about it. It seems rather intricate, who ever placed it wanted to keep it there, maybe Jiraiya would know the design," she said.

Cerise looked away from Tsunade, she had never told Mitzuki or Ikechi who had placed it there, it was a promise that Kuroku asked her to keep. Tsunade noticed her reaction and wondered just why she turned away from her.

"Well I guess the best thing to do would be first to test her, just to see how well Kuroku and you guys taught her," Tsunade smiled.

* * *

In case you're wondering

Maledire Specchio means Cursed Mirror

Buio means Dark or Night


	3. Test

Chapter 3, gees I did't think I would have time to ever finish it but I did (yay me!)

Well enjoy

Oh! I don't own Naruto, never have, never will, so there really is no point in this (oh well, must make the lawyers happy).

* * *

Tsunade had prepared a room for Cerise to stay in. She would have to prove herself tomorrow in a test of skill, she wasn't worried, she knew the skills that the village possessed. It was just the thought of staying at this village that bothered her.

"Oh Biou, what am I going to do. He'll be here soon if I stay too long. This place isn't like Rice Village, and if he comes here, I don't know what to do," she sighed.

It had been a little over seven years since she saw her father. The last time he saw her, he had sworn to take her and bring her back into the family line. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Biou's skills weren't the only ones she knew, her own family had its share of secret skills, like the curse that was put on her eye. And like with Biou, she was the only other person who knew how the skills worked. She stayed away from these skills, for they were forbidden centuries ago by the torture they could inflict, she had first hand experience with the torture they could cause. Her curse constantly brought up dreams, making her relive the darkest parts of her life every night. Sleep was a curse for her, night brought nightmares, the dark meant she would be alone to suffer with them. Too much had happened to her in the dark, her family, her mother escaping with her, her father finding her, her mothers death, all were cast into the shadow of the night. The worst part of it all was the curse; it served as a reminder of the control her family's name had over her.

"Leggera," she sighed smiling at the hypocrisy of the name.

"Hey little cherry," Mitzuki said sweetly to the young girl, "Ikechi says it's time for lights out. But…" he said while walking over to her bed and sitting down, "you look like you need someone to talk to."

Cerise smiled sweetly at her teacher's worry, "I'm fine."

"Right I know better than to trust when you say you're 'fine'," he joked. She smiled even more sweetly.

"I guess you're right."

"Don't worry about tomorrow; I'm sure if Biou could see you now he would be so proud of you. Besides Tsunade said if you don't do to well—which is doubtful—that she would still see about your eye. She thinks that Rin maybe able to help you out. Well I better go now, Ikechi will kill me if I keep you up any later, night," he said kissing her forehead before leaving. He treated her as an older brother would, it didn't bother her but sometimes she felt as though she wasn't doing all she could do to make the happy.

"Well night approaches," she sighed as she fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

The next morning Ikechi found Cerise reviewing some of the scrolls that they had taught her out of in their earlier training.

"A review?" he asked.

"Yep," she answered.

"Let me guess, looking for flaws. I wouldn't try. More than likely they've changed up a lot of things; I doubt anyone is even learning those old scrolls. Besides you'll be fine. A few test, nothing to it."

Cerise looked at her older teacher, she could tell when he was lying—he did something strange with his eye—but she simply smiled.

"Well I guess we should go now," she sighed. Her first day of rest was ruined by a test, but her teachers thought they were doing her well, how little they knew.

The two met up with Mitzuki and sat down for a quick breakfast. Some of the other ninjas in the room just starred at her teachers. They looked in utter disgust as the traitors were let back into the village. Some had some very wicked thoughts about what they would do to the two traitors if they found them alone. Cerise noticed this ad sighed. She couldn't stand the thought of her two teachers being looked down upon for something they hadn't really done. It was thanks to them that she was even alive right now, or at least not with her father. She had just walked in from her early morning rituals and was about to sit in and eat with them. The ninja's eyes immediately turned from the traitors, to Cerise. Jaws dropped, her long hair, violet eyes and body caught their attention and held it. She blushed.

"Well I think they like me," she said sitting down with Mitzuki and Ikechi.

The two looked up to see the ninja's in the room starring at her, they glared and went back to eating, they weren't exactly morning people. Cerise smiled at her teachers' actions, they were always like this. Their breakfast went undisturbed and they soon were out to the field where many younger ninjas trained. Cerise looked on in surprise at how many there were.

"Wow," she said in awe.

"It's pretty amazing huh," Mitzuki smiled.

She just shook her head in agreement. Tsunade had finally come and Ikechi was talking to her. Another person accompanied her; she looked rather worried and a bit flustered. Cerise didn't see her from before.

"Let's begin!" Tsunade shouted as Cerise reached her spot.

The young ninja took off with lightning speed. 'Amazing, he's so fast,' Cerise thought while channeling her charka into her right index finger. 'This should be enough.'

The boy was just feet from her, getting ready to strike her with a short blade. Cerise ducked as the boy thrust forward, her powered hand grabbed the boy's wrist, causing it to go limp. The blade dropped from his hand as she let go of it. Cerise dropped back wanting to see the boy's reaction. He shook his hand furiously trying to bring life back into it.

"You shouldn't do that," she whispered in his ear. The boy looked startled; he didn't even sense her moving towards him. She grabbed his other wrist causing it to go limp.

The boy looked at her in sheer shock, he wasn't ready for this. He bowed to her in surrender. Tsunade looked up in approval towards Cerise; she didn't expect anything less from a student of Biou.

"Don't move," she told the young ninja while grabbing his hands. She gently rubbed them removing the charka that she had put into them. The boy reflexed his hands, while starring at her in awe.

"Wow."

Cerise smiled giving the boy a little pat on the head before he left to join his friends.

Tsunade smiled as she sent Iruka into the arena. Cerise recognized Iruka as the guy who wasn't too fond of having her teachers back. However she wasn't going to let that interfere with her fight. She began to focus her charka into her hands, "Palla di acqua" she whispered. The charka that focused in her hands began to draw in moisture from the air around her. Iruka watched intently as the young girl prepared her attack. 'She's performing a drawn out technique with no cover, not exactly the smartest thing to do,' he thought.

Cerise's breathing became more shallow and slow as the ball of water began to freeze over. Iruka noticed this just before she let the ball of ice go after Iruka. He easily dodged but was knocked in the back of the head. He landed on his chest, knocking his breath out in the process. He looked up to see what him, he hadn't sensed anything, and Cerise was still in a meditative state. He looked around, there was nothing, then he looked up and gasped. Just above him were hundreds of ice balls like the one she sent at him. 'No way,' he thought. He didn't sense any charka being used to create them, then it struck him. The ball she was making was a distraction so she could create the others.

"Amazing," Tsunade muttered. "Biou didn't teach her that." Tsunade knew that the earlier technique that Cerise used was from Biou, but this, this was from someone else.

"Yeah, she told us her mother taught her how to use the technique," Ikechi told her.

"Keep watching though what's coming up next is awesome," Mitzuki said clinging to his seat; this was his most favorite technique of hers.

Iruka jumped up, and began to look for some way to dodge the soon to be coming barrage. Seeing no escape he thought to attack Cerise before her attack was called. She was in some sort of meditative state and an attack would be easy.

Cerise was out of it. Her attention no longer focused on the battle. Her scarred eye began to pulse; the curse was trying to escape out again. She had to stay in her meditation in order to keep the curse at bay. Something was causing it to try to break through the seals she and her mother had placed on it. "Il sangue, l'acqua, l'aria, la terra," she muttered over and over again to keep her focus. She didn't sense the shurikin Iruka sent flying at her, but it didn't matter. The shuriken came flying at her at a dangerous speed but before it came within a few feet of her a wall of water engulfed it. Iruka's jaw dropped in amazement; he was all ready preparing another shuriken when the water engulfed it. Cerise looked up when her water barrier came up. Her scared was all ready showing signs of the seals coming forth. True they usually showed up when she placed the Maledire Specchio to her eye, but when the curse began to break from her eye the seals began to show. This fight needed to end before she lost complete control.

"Eruttare!" she shouted.

The balls of ice thrust downward giving Iruka enough time to time to just barely throw his hands over his head. Tsunade as well as Mitzuki and Ikechi were startled at the abrupt attack. Iruka was lying on the ground a bit battered and covered in ice. He got up slowly, bitting his lip at the pain. Cerise was still in meditation, but heaving very badly. Iruka limped back over towards the group.

"Just what the hell was that?" he asked Ikechi.

"…I, I really don't know…" he shrugged.

Tsunade looked over them, "What do you mean you don't know?"

"Well I've never seen her end that attack that way. I mean she usually finishes it off by summoning a water dragon," Mitzuki explained.

"Very interesting, what's going on here?" came a deep voice.

Ikechi and Mitzuki looked back, recognizing the voice of the master's former team mate.

"Jiraiya, why are you here?" Tsunade asked rather ticked off.

"Because of me!" Naruto proclaimed from behind Jiraiya.

"Yes, and I wanted to see this student of Biou," Jiraiya said in a way that made it seem he did not believe the tale.

"Well, watch then. I'm sending Kakashi as her last test," Tsunade smiled, "Wanna place a wager?" she asked, her infamous gambling taking over.

"Are you sure, I mean as the Legendary Sucker, you might just be cursing the poor girl," Jiraiya laughed upsetting Tsunade. "Well Kakashi, ready to take on your opponent?"

Kakashi simply looked up his revealed eye giving little hint about what he had in mind.

Cerise had her mind focused on other things. The seals were all ready showing on most of her face, the seals closest to her face were beginning to melt away into pools of ink and fresh blood all running down her face. She sensed Kakashi's charka and knew this wouldn't be an easy fight. Kakashi watched her closely, mesmerized by her. He could feel something was wrong, but it wasn't his concern. He brought out a kunai, getting it ready for an attack, he would have to use close range combat in order to get around her water wall. He walked forward towards the girl, then shot off. Cerise lost his charka but kept her head downwards, even if she did look around it wouldn't matter; her eyes had lost their sight with the pain that shot through her head. She tried to listen for any sounds but by the time she heard the kunai come after her, it had shot around her arms, binding them tight to each other. Kakashi wasn't wasting any time; he shot a quick kick at her. She dodged but was thrown to the dirt by Kakashi pulling on the kunai. Cerise moaned at the pain, the seal not spread to her chest, it wouldn't be five minutes before the seals had reached their last power source in her left knee. She got up slowly, but was sent back down to the ground while trying to dodge another kunai. She pulled hard against the kunai around arms, knocking Kakashi off balance. She shot forward head butting Kakashi in the stomach. He stumbled back, more out of surprise than pain. Cerise used the moment to release her arms from the kunai and grab her own shuriken and attempt to throw it. But she was brought down to her knees by a sudden explosion of pain in her eye. The curse broke through the first two defenses; she no longer had control over her body. The power of her ancestors flowed through her, her body shook violently as the charka increased. She grabbed her shoulders in pain, the ink and blood running fresh all over her body, she gave a sharp scream causing Kakashi to grab his ears in pain. Mitzuki and Ikechi jumped up to help their student, but Jiraiya knocked them down.

"She has no control over her power right now," he said calmly.

"Is it that curse?" Tsunade asked.

"I don't know, I've never seen this happen to her," Mitzuki said concerned.

"You had her fight without knowing what the hell that curse was. I would have thought that you would have more sense Tsunade," Jiraiya sighed.

Tsunade looked over at the young girl. She was grabbing at her eye and beating the ground with her fist. That's when it happened.

* * *

FYI

Leggera-Cerise's family name, it means light

Palla di acqua-one of Cerise's main attacks, it means 'water ball'

Il sangue-blood, L'acqua-water, L'aria-air, la terra-earth Cerise says this as a focusing technique to control her charka

eruttare-the signal used to release Palla di acque, it means erupt


	4. A Revelation Nami?

Chapter 4! Yay, I'm so happy. So much work, so much work (moan) oh well! Look at it sunny side up nai? Smile, smile, smile (I think I'm losing it). Well enjoy my work, if there was anything you think I should change tell me, I'll listen (I'm really good at that)!

I don't own Naruto, if only I did. (I'm broke, I need money, don't sue please)!

* * *

Cerise's body erupted in an incredible heat, the skin around her shoulders ripped open; her own blood began to mix with the blood and ink of the seals. She shuddered as the pain grew. Her hands began to tear at the ground below her, the area behind her hears pulsed in even greater with a singeing heat. The pain finally erupted in her back as two metallic structures protruded out, they glistened with fresh blood. Black seals lined the appendages as the blood began to drip off. Behind her ears two horn like appendages grew, they were covered with the same seals and blood. Cerise cried out in pain, when she felt someone's hands wrap around her. Her breathing slowed down, and sleep began to overcome her.

Cerise woke up alone in the dark. "Hello," she called. She was standing up, afraid of the darkness around her. Her breathing became erratic, but someone had grabbed her and comforted her. She sighed.

"You're going to have to tell them," a voice called out.

"Uhh…what!" she said turning around to see who it was that had a hold of her. It was too late, they had already disappeared. Cerise thought about what they said, about telling them, 'It's going to be so hard.'

"Cerise, Cerise," two voices called out to her.

"Uhnnn…wha…" she moaned, opening her eyes.

"Hey there little cherry, you're up," Mitzuki sighed with a smile.

Cerise's vision was off a bit; she reached up towards her eye to feel a patch over eye.

"The seal, it…" Cerise started, Mitzuki simply smiled.

"I'm thinking that you probably have a lot to tell us, but don't worry about it, right? Jiraiya had a ninja named Rin take care of it for you, but he said you'll have to help her replace the seal."

"Where's Ikechi?"

"He left to go get Rin when you came around. Do you know what happened to you?"

Cerise simply shook her head yes.

"Oh…well I'm sure there was a reason for not telling us."

She simply bent down her head; tears began to form in her eyes. There was a reason for not telling them, she had to protect them, the less they knew the better off. Mitzuki left to find out what was keeping Ikechi. Cerise got up slowly from the bed she was lying in. Her head began to pound as her feet met the cold, hard ground. She couldn't believe the pain she felt. She just sat there for a while just focusing on the flow of blood in her body. She could feel the seal in her knee begin to repair itself using Cerise's own blood. She grabbed her shirt and lifted it up to see what was left of the seals on her stomach, 'Just a small seal,' she sighed. She knew the seal on her eye was gone completely without looking, once that seal was destroyed, her grandfather's "inheritance" took over.

"Il sangue, l'acqua, l'aria, la terra," she muttered at the thought of her grandfather. Cerise tried to get up again, with a bit more success than last time. She walked over to end of the room, noticing only one other person in bed. They looked pretty out of it.

"He can't move," came a sweet voice.

Cerise turned around to see a medical nin. "Rin?" Cerise asked.

The nin simply nodded as she set some equipment on the bed where Cerise came from.

"What happened?"

"Huh…well he was struck in his back, and instant paralysis. I've tried just about all I can do to help him move, but no luck," Rin sighed, "Well come on now, I need to help you with that seal."

Cerise walked over back to the bed. She noticed some of her own scrolls, ink, and even her Maledire Specchio.

"You don't mind do you?"

"Hmm…oh no, you would have needed them anyways."

Cerise grabbed a shuriken carefully dragging its blade across her hand. Rin handed her a bottle of sealing ink, and after Cerise let the blood flow off her hand and into the bottle, she shook it violently. Rin watched as Cerise's hand quickly healed, she had wondered why she didn't see any wounds on her. Rin helped Cerise remove the patch, amazingly the scar that once crossed it was gone, but her eye was now a red-violet color not the pale violet it had been when Rin applied the patch. Rin handed a brush to Cerise who began almost immediately to apply the seal. Rin watched intently as the ninja applied her well known seal.

"La terra," Cerise muttered as she finished the seal closest to her eye, the seal began to glow a pale green.

"L'aria." The next seal began to glow a dull gray.

"L'acqua." This seal was all ready down the side of her cheek, and began to glow a bright blue.

"Il sangue." The last seal was complete its bright red color shined brighter than the other colors.

"Foggiato," she sighed with the last stroke. The seals shined bright, the colors mixing into a duller and duller white until they became black. Cerise picked up the Maledire and held it up to her eye. The seal seemed to run into the Maledire as the black marks ran up to her eye. The seal was over, but Cerise grabbed the shuriken and sliced her left eye down, reopening the hole in her pupil and bringing fresh blood down her face. Rin gasped a little at the self inflicted wound. Cerise brought her finger towards the injured eye, it pulsed with charka.

"Fine," she muttered as the charka healed the wound, leaving a fresh scar across her face.

"Oh I see that's how you finish the seal."

Cerise nodded. She was about to take off her shirt to perform the seal on her stomach when Jiraiya walked in.

"Rin, do you mind if I talk to her alone?" he asked.

"Oh, sure, it won't matter if we wait to put on the last seal will it?"

"No."

"Well I'll leave you two."

Rin left while Jiraiya walked towards Cerise. He examined the young girl before deciding to talk.

"You know I remember Biou's student having black short hair, and her name was Nami."

Cerise looked down to the ground, she had the feeling Jiraiya would remember her. She felt the bed move down as Jiraiya set down.

"He told that…that if…if I didn't want my father…if I didn't want him to find me…that I…I should take a disguise. So after Biou died…I left the hidden village of the waterfall and ended up in Rice Village," Cerise said chocking back tears.

"Hmm, I see, it makes sense. But why lie about your age to Mitzuki and Ikechi? I mean you're about twenty-one or –two."

"It was just part of the disguise," she shrugged, "And I'm about to be twenty-one."

"Huh, well, so what was all of that back there? I know it wasn't that curse of yours."

"Yeah you're right. It was just the last seal building strength."

"As a fish?"

"What?" Cerise looked at him in shook, 'How does he know?' she thought.

"Naruto has a demon sealed into him as well you know that. He told me you two had met when you first arrived," he explained.

"…But…how do you know?"

"When you were with Biou I saw them. But I mean I didn't expect you to be posed by the Leviathan."

"…It was my grandfather's inheritance, the thing he passed on to me at my birth," Cerise explained.

"Hmm…so you put a seal on them to keep your father's powers at bay?"

"Yeah…but after the last seal breaks they don't do much."

"Well Nami, Cerise, whatever it may be I'll help you all I can. I know your father has a plan for something, though I have no clue it may be. And besides your just so damn cute I just have to help," he smiled.

"Thanks, oh and let's just stick with Cerise. It took forever for me to get used to it," Cerise smiled.

"No problem," Jirayia waved.

He left, while Mitzuki and Ikechi burst threw the door.

* * *

Foggiato- meld or mix

Fine- finish


	5. Wave Dream

Chapter 5 yay! Unfortunately I haven't had time to work on anything lately (I have AP Exams in like a week and I've been on late night cramming sessions).

But I shall prevail of course after AP Exams is Semester test (oh no they're not trying to kill us) which means another week of studying not to mention graduation—I'm an usher, I didn't know about this (I didn't even think I agreed to it) till today. Well I'm off my soapbox. Sorry about that!

The best news in the world—Naruto is coming to Cartoon Network in the Fall YAY!

I don't own Naruto, I realize that this is a sue happy country and that anything that can be sued shall be, but honestly I have like $5 to my name and it's not for me but for school so I'm broke and it would be pointless to sue!

* * *

Cerise grabbed the ink and began to finish the seals on her stomach. She focused on the four levels, repeating each element name as she finished a seal. Ikechi and Mitsuki watched diligently as Rin prepared another ink mixture that Cerise had asked her to make.

"You know I never knew there were seals on your stomach," Mitsuki pointed out.

"Yeah well that's one thing we don't know along with a whole list of others," Ikechi pouted.

"…I've told you what I could when I could. I never even told Biou about my past either, he just found out on accident. In fact the only reason he knew of my father is because he met him like you guys did," Cerise explained. She had just told them everything she had told Jirayia, but they did seem rather hurt by the fact they never knew but a complete stranger did. Cerise had finished the last element ring, and then grabbed the ink that Rin had prepared. It smelled of the familiar fragrance of the sea, the clean air, the salt and fish smell, the ink even seemed to sing out the ocean songs. It had a ground fin of a Leviathan in it which gave it the very properties it had and the blood of her clan. She grasped the bottle, gently stirring it around. Its colors never blended together, the bright red blood swirled in and out of a dark blue-green color. Cerise grabbed her shuriken and lifted the hem of her pants to show her sealed leg. The seal that remained was pulsing with what life it had. With the shuriken Cerise began to carve a different design into the leg, the same design that was in her eye, the Leggera's crest. She finished it off the seal by spreading the ink mixture over it. It glowed slowly than faded leaving just a light pink trace of where the cuts had been.

"Amazing, the Leviathan heals you so fast," Rin said in awe.

"It's just because it wants to protect itself," Cerise explained.

"So it uses you as a host?" Rin asked in confusion.

"Huh…well sort of; I guess it's mutual because we help each other. He keeps my po… my curse in check, while I provide it shelter. By the time I die he should be old enough to live on his own."

"It's a baby?"

"Uh huh, we were born the same day, and my mother's family always allowed the Leviathan to reside in them, males usually. They got shelter until death, while our control over water increases dramatically. I was the only child born at the time, so I inherited the responsibility," she sighed.

"So you're telling me that the only thing keeping back your curse is a tiny little sea serpent," Tsunade said as she entered the room.

Cerise shook her head. There were too many people in the room right now, it kind of disturbed her. She hoped out of bed walking towards the ninja that was paralyzed. She looked over him closely as the four of them talked. She sighed, 'More problems.'

She was already preparing energy in the tips of her fingers and spreading out to her palms. She was over the ninja's bed; the poor man was conscious and looking at her in sorrow.

"Would you like to get up?"

He blinked his eyes in a weird acknowledgment.

"Well if it's paralysis than there won't be any problems."

Cerise moved her hand under the man's back sending charka into him. She closed her eyes as she placed her hand on his chest. She directed her charka to the man's damaged nerves controlling the flow and rebuilding of the nerves.

"Well?" she asked him.

He moved his hands and toes slowly, a smile spread to his face. Cerise sat down on the bed watching the man react to his new control. She lay back watching the outside world go by. Little students were practicing some neat techniques; she dozed off not even hearing the man's thanks or the commotion that was caused by him being up.

Images flashed in her mind, she recognized her father first. He was a tall brooding fighter with a scar across his right eye. Spiked black hair that trailed across his sharp face, his hawk-like eyes were set in an eternal glare and were a fierce red color. He always had on something black with the clan's crest close to his heart. He could bring fear to anyone.

"Onda, Onda where are you!" Cerise heard the name called out.

She couldn't figure out were she was but she could hear the rough voice of her father. He was the one calling out the name. This was memory Cerise couldn't place. He was worried, an emotion her father never showed. She looked up towards him as he called out the name, she was rather shocked.

"Onda?" she couldn't place the name though it seemed familiar.

Hands grabbed her away and held her close.

"Be quiet," the voice demanded. It was familiar, a lot like her fathers but again Cerise couldn't place it. She turned to find it but found herself alone again.

"There you are," she heard her father sigh. She turned around to face him. He was much taller than she remembered than it hit her, she was a child. He bent down and lifted her up rocking her in his arms as he walked. It was safe to say Cerise was confused. She couldn't figure out when this had happened before.

"Nami, have you seen Onda?" he asked.

"…Onda?"

"I can't find nonna and nonno anywhere, I'm afraid they might be hurt."

Cerise could feel tears well up in her eyes though she didn't understand why she was crying.

"Don't cry Nami, everything will be all right," he said while gently drying her tears.

Cerise woke with a start, her eyes were full of tears and her throat was sore as though she had been crying. The moon shined brightly through the window as she got up out of bed. She wasn't in the medical room but in the same room she had been in. She changed clothes and left to go outside. Mitsuki's door was open and she could hear him and Ikechi talking to each other. She wasn't about to eavesdrop on her teachers so she carefully snuck past. She took off in a dash after she had reached the door to outside. It was the first time in at least two days that she was outside. It must have not been too late because there were several people still out. She walked around to see what was in the village. She even spotted Naruto at a noodle stand, just in time to because her stomach gave a lurching growl.

* * *

Most of what I use is Italian, but Cerise is French (it's cherry!).

onda- wave

nonno- grandpa

nonna- grandma


	6. Water and Fire

Chapter six then off to chapter seven which should be more action orientated.

I don't own Naruto, but one of my friends owns one of those cool headbands (personally I would like one with the village of sounds symbol).

* * *

Cerise made her way to the little noodle stand where Naruto sat.

"Hey, Naruto right?"

He turned around, his eyes nearly popped out and his jaw dropped.

"…uh…Cerise?" he muttered in disbelief.

"What? What is it? Naruto is something wrong. Well is there?"

Naruto just starred, Cerise soon noticed at her chest. She looked down and was in sheer shock herself.

"Uh…what the world, I've like grown…a lot. Uh…what in the world?"

The noodle chef looked at the two shaking his head at them.

"I'm like, like expanded or blown up or…or something…uh…huh? Naruto stop looking," she demanded covering her chest with her arms. Her face was a bright red.

"Sorry it's just that they weren't that big two days ago, are they real?" he asked innocently.

"Of course they're real!" she yelled knocking him in the head.

"Ow…gees, man I think you've grown taller, and I think your hips are larger to and your eyes are redder, and…," he said pointing out all the differences.

Cerise was bright red now; she couldn't believe she was letting him get away with these comments. But he did have a point, she felt taller and her pants were grabbing much tighter around her waist.

"Gees what's going on? Naruto how old would you say I look right now?"

"…Like you shot through puberty in two days and skipped over to your twenties," he joked.

Cerise shot him a serious look, but it began to worry her. The Leviathan had always made her look rather younger than what she was, that's why she could easily say she was eleven when she was more like fifteen. But now it seemed the Leviathan was losing control. Thoughts about the last few weeks shot through her mind, the strange dreams, her fight with her father's men, and of course the seals breaking and releasing her family powers.

"…uh, Naruto come with me!" she grabbed him by the arm.

"Wha…?"

"Just come with me! I need your help with something."

"But my ramen!"

"I'll buy you ten more of those if you just come with me!"

Naruto considered it, one lose of ramen for ten more he didn't have to pay for.

"All right!"

Cerise brought him to the same arena where she had just been two days ago. She needed to test her powers. Something was nagging at her about them.

"Right, Naruto I need you send a shuriken at me."

"Wha?"

"Just do it!" Cerise demanded.

Naruto sent out a shuriken much faster than what she thought. She immediately focused her charka to summon her water shield.

"Protezione di acqua!" she shouted trying to bring up water from the earth with her charka, but as the shuriken came closer nothing but steam erupted. She drew out a fin-shaped fan grabbing the shuriken in between the folds just before it reached her. She threw it to the wall were Iruka's shuriken had been thrown.

"What was that?" Naruot asked. He was expecting the same rush of water that had stopped Iruka's shuriken before.

Cerise looked down out her hands, they were burning with a strange heat, in fact her whole body seemed to be inflamed as if she had a fever.

'My other powers…water and…fi…It can't be,' she thought.

"Naruto try again, throw another one," she demanded.

He threw it at her as she focused her charka again. There was some moisture but it quickly became steam she had to move in order to avoid the shuriken.

She focused her charka to her hands hoping to bring out the water in the air through it. She focused hard putting her very being into it. But instead of summoning water she conjured a strange ball of gas. She sighed, her breath hitting the ball and igniting it. She watched in amazement as the ball swirled with different colored flames.

"Whoa, never seen that one," Naruto said in awe.

"Neither have I," Cerise stated, her eyes were wide eyed in shock and fear at the sight. The flame kissed her hand but didn't burn, the heat was tremendous but it didn't bother her. It was the same flame from a dream she had had before. It was a blue luminous flame, one that burned on forever.

"I…I don't know what's going on anymore…I can feel my powers slipping from me and I don't just don't know. I know so much but nothing about what's happening now," she sighed.

"Is it because of the demon inside you? I mean sometimes the Kyuubi takes control over me and I feel really strange," Naruto asked trying to help her.

"Well, I guess you could say that…but…he's not trying to take over in fact he helps with my curse, but I think he might be…dying…"

"Inside you?"

"…I guess so…what about you, can you feel anything with your Kyuubi?"

"Only when he's pissed," he joked.

"Hmmm…well, maybe I should head home," Cerise thought, "Maybe someone there could help…if I could find anyone…"

"Home, you mean with Mitsuki and Ikechi?"

"…uhh…well…no. I mean they finally got to go home, I know it looks like they don't really care about being home, but it means a lot to them."

"But there your teachers."

"Well…not really…it was kind of a…a bit of a scam. I mean not to say I haven't learned anything from them…it's just that…"

"You haven't learned anything from them and have probably saved their skins more than they've saved yours."

"…uh…I'm guessing you've been under similar situations?"

"No, but I've met some people like that," Naruto smiled.

"You're such a dobe," she laughed.

"…Dobe, dobe, I hate that name…" Naruto pouted.

"Don't take it seriously, sheesh," she smiled.

"Humph, I don't think I should be talking to you. I think I'll take that ten ramen now."

"Oh shut up," she smiled, "…Hey Naruto, if you do me a big favor, I'll give you enough money to buy thirty bowls of ramen."

She turned to face him only to find him right in her face with his large grin.

"What's your wish?" he grinned.

"Help me get out of here without Mitsuki and Ikechi finding out."

Naruto thought about this, thirty bowls of free ramen, lying to older ninjas, and helping out a really hot girl, oh the trouble he could rake up.

"All right."

* * *

Protezione di acqua- literally it means shield of water but we would say water shield or something along that line. 


End file.
